Cognizant of the need to promote and regulate organ transplant in the State, the Department of Medical Education and Research is to establish Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation with an Organ Retrieval Centre each at Government Medical College Amritsar and Patiala, informed Mr. OP Soni, Minister for Medical Education and Research.

Mr. Soni said that there is an acute shortage of human organs as compared to the requirement of organs for saving the lives of a large number of patients suffering from end stage organ failure. Therefore, to promote cadaver organ donation, the organ retrieval and transplantation infrastructure s being developed in the State. He informed that State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) is being set up under National Organ Transplant Programme. This Centre funded project entails expense to the tune of Rs.33 lac as initial one-time setting up cost of SOTTO, Rs. 38 lac as the recurring expenses for manpower and Rs. 25 lac each for the Organ Retrieval Centres at Amritsar and Ludhiana. The sanction of Rs.1.2 crores has been granted for the project and amount required for initial set-up has been received, informed Soni.

The Medical Education and Research Minister said that SOTTO will co-ordinate the entire organ transplant activities and the subsequent commissioning of the Green Corridor, the special road route that enables harvested organs meant for transplants to reach the destined hospital.